1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin replenishing apparatus for a coin receiving and dispensing machine. Specifically, the present invention relates to a coin replenishing safe for a coin receiving and dispensing machine that prevents a worker from having unauthorized access to coins in a compact coin receiving and dispensing machine.
2. Description of Related Art
As a conventional technique, in a coin receiving and dispensing machine, after sorting coins are input a retaining portion for each kind of coin, and are dispensed in a predetermined number of coins from the retaining portion to a coin dispensing port based upon a coin dispensing command. A cassette apparatus when mounted on the coin receiving and dispensing machine so as to cover a coin input port, is automatically locked on the coin receiving and dispensing machine, wherein a coin dropping shutter automatically puts an outlet opening facing the coin input port into an opening state, and when being removed from the coin receiving and dispensing machine, the coin dropping shutter automatically closes a coin dispensing opening.
When a replenishing cassette of the cassette apparatus is mounted on the coin receiving and dispensing machine, change coins are automatically replenished to the coin receiving and dispensing machine as shown in Japanese Patent No. 3581806 (FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, Page 3).
In the conventional apparatus, since the coin dropping shutter is opened and closed in a laterally-sliding manner, the design must be made in consideration of a sliding range of the shutter, which results in a problem of an increase in size of the apparatus. When a travel amount of the shutter is reduced in order to solve the problem, the outlet opening must be made smaller.
On the other hand, when the height of the coin receiving and dispensing machine is reduced, it is necessary to reduce a height from an upper face of a belt for conveying coins to an upper end of the coin input port. In a coin receiving and dispensing machine with a low height, when a predetermined number of coins are collectively input, it is necessary to expand the width of the belt (a direction orthogonal to an advancing direction of the belt) in order to prevent a coin from flying out from the coin input port.
A coin receiving and dispensing machine, serving as a change machine disposed below a register, is required to be smaller in size, and especially to be low in height. When the above measures are combined in order to make smaller the height of a downsized coin receiving and dispensing machine, the width of the outlet opening of the cassette apparatus becomes smaller than that of the coin input port. In other words, a dead space can be formed between a lower face of the cassette and the belt.
When such a dead space occurs, there is a possibility that all of the coins cannot be replenished completely because a coin input from the cassette may enter in the dead space to be fitted therein in a standing state, so that a system of reducing the travel amount of the shutter cannot be readily adopted.
Thus a secure manner and apparatus to replenish coins or token in an economical manner is still a goal of this industry.